Stainless Steel Chemical Resistance Chart
Chemicals P-Z
A = Excellent.
B = Good. Minor Effect, slight corrosion or discoloration.
C = Fair. Moderate Effect, not recommended for continuous use. Softening, loss of strength, swelling, may occur.
D = Severe Effect, not recommended for ANY use.
N/A = Information Not Available.
Temperature Conversion
°F = (1.8 x °C) + 32
°C = (°F – 32) x 0.555
| Stainless Steel 304 | Stainless Steel 316 | |
| Chemical | Compatibility | Compatibility |
| Palmitic Acid | B-Good | A-Excellent |
| Paraffin | A-Excellent | A-Excellent |
| Pentane | C-Fair | C-Fair |
| Perchloric Acid | C-Fair | C-Fair |
| Perchloroethylene | B-Good | A-Excellent |
| Petrolatum | A-Excellent | A-Excellent |
| Petroleum | A-Excellent | A-Excellent |
| Phenol (10%) | B-Good | B-Good |
| Phenol (Carbolic Acid) | B-Good | B-Good |
| Phosphoric Acid (>40%) | D-Severe Effect | D-Severe Effect |
| Phosphoric Acid (crude) | D-Severe Effect | B-Good |
| Phosphoric Acid (molten) | N/A | C-Fair |
| Phosphoric Acid (<40%) | D-Severe Effect | C-Fair |
| Phosphoric Acid Anhydride | N/A | N/A |
| Phosphorus | A-Excellent | A-Excellent |
| Phosphorus Trichloride | A-Excellent | A-Excellent |
| Photographic Developer | A-Excellent | A-Excellent |
| Photographic Solutions | D-Severe Effect | N/A |
| Phthalic Acid | B-Good | A-Excellent |
| Phthalic Anhydride | A-Excellent | A-Excellent |
| Picric Acid | B-Good | B-Good |
| Potash (Potassium Carbonate) | B-Good | B-Good |
| Potassium Bicarbonate | B-Good | B-Good |
| Potassium Bromide | B-Good | B-Good |
| Potassium Chlorate | B-Good | B-Good |
| Potassium Chloride | B-Good | A-Excellent |
| Potassium Chromate | B-Good | B-Good |
| Potassium Cyanide Solutions | B-Good | B-Good |
| Potassium Dichromate | B-Good | B-Good |
| Potassium Ferricyanide | B-Good | B-Good |
| Potassium Ferrocyanide | B-Good | B-Good |
| Potassium Hydroxide (Caustic Potash) | B-Good | A-Excellent |
| Potassium Hypochlorite | C-Fair | B-Good |
| Potassium Iodide | A-Excellent | A-Excellent |
| Potassium Nitrate | B-Good | B-Good |
| Potassium Oxalate | B-Good | B-Good |
| Potassium Permanganate | B-Good | B-Good |
| Potassium Sulfate | B-Good | A-Excellent |
| Potassium Sulfide | B-Good | B-Good |
| Propane (liquefied) | A-Excellent | A-Excellent |
| Propylene | B-Good | A-Excellent |
| Propylene Glycol | B-Good | B-Good |
| Pyridine | A-Excellent | A-Excellent |
| Pyrogallic Acid | B-Good | B-Good |
| Resorcinal | N/A | N/A |
| Rosins | A-Excellent | A-Excellent |
| Rum | A-Excellent | A-Excellent |
| Rust Inhibitors | A-Excellent | A-Excellent |
| Salad Dressings | A-Excellent | A-Excellent |
| Salicylic Acid | B-Good | B-Good |
| Salt Brine (NaCl saturated) | B-Good | A-Excellent |
| Sea Water | C-Fair | C-Fair |
| Shellac (Bleached) | A-Excellent | A-Excellent |
| Shellac (Orange) | A-Excellent | A-Excellent |
| Silicone | A-Excellent | A-Excellent |
| Silver Bromide | D-Severe Effect | D-Severe Effect |
| Silver Nitrate | B-Good | B-Good |
| Soap Solutions | A-Excellent | A-Excellent |
| Soda Ash (see Sodium Carbonate) | A-Excellent | A-Excellent |
| Sodium Acetate | B-Good | B-Good |
| Sodium Aluminate | A-Excellent | A-Excellent |
| Sodium Benzoate | N/A | N/A |
| Sodium Bicarbonate | A-Excellent | A-Excellent |
| Sodium Bisulfate | D-Severe Effect | C-Fair |
| Sodium Bisulfite | B-Good | B-Good |
| Sodium Borate (Borax) | B-Good | B-Good |
| Sodium Bromide | C-Fair | C-Fair |
| Sodium Carbonate | A-Excellent | A-Excellent |
| Sodium Chlorate | A-Excellent | B-Good |
| Sodium Chloride | B-Good | B-Good |
| Sodium Chromate | B-Good | B-Good |
| Sodium Cyanide | A-Excellent | B-Good |
| Sodium Ferrocyanide | B-Good | B-Good |
| Sodium Fluoride | D-Severe Effect | D-Severe Effect |
| Sodium Hydrosulfite | N/A | N/A |
| Sodium Hydroxide (20%) | B-Good | B-Good |
| Sodium Hydroxide (50%) | B-Good | B-Good |
| Sodium Hydroxide (80%) | C-Fair | B-Good |
| Sodium Hypochlorite (<20%) | C-Fair | C-Fair |
| Sodium Hypochlorite (100%) | D-Severe Effect | D-Severe Effect |
| Sodium Hyposulfate | A-Excellent | A-Excellent |
| Sodium Metaphosphate | A-Excellent | A-Excellent |
| Sodium Metasilicate | A-Excellent | A-Excellent |
| Sodium Nitrate | B-Good | B-Good |
| Sodium Perborate | B-Good | B-Good |
| Sodium Peroxide | A-Excellent | A-Excellent |
| Sodium Polyphosphate | B-Good | B-Good |
| Sodium Silicate | A-Excellent | B-Good |
| Sodium Sulfate | B-Good | B-Good |
| Sodium Sulfide | B-Good | D-Severe Effect |
| Sodium Sulfite | B-Good | A-Excellent |
| Sodium Tetraborate | A-Excellent | A-Excellent |
| Sodium Thiosulfate (hypo) | A-Excellent | B-Good |
| Sorghum | A-Excellent | A-Excellent |
| Soy Sauce | A-Excellent | A-Excellent |
| Stannic Chloride | D-Severe Effect | D-Severe Effect |
| Stannic Fluoborate | N/A | A-Excellent |
| Stannous Chloride | C-Fair | A-Excellent |
| Starch | A-Excellent | A-Excellent |
| Stearic Acid | B-Good | A-Excellent |
| Stoddard Solvent | A-Excellent | A-Excellent |
| Styrene | A-Excellent | A-Excellent |
| Sugar (Liquids) | A-Excellent | A-Excellent |
| Sulfate (Liquors) | B-Good | B-Good |
| Sulfur Chloride | D-Severe Effect | D-Severe Effect |
| Sulfur Dioxide | D-Severe Effect | A-Excellent |
| Sulfur Dioxide (dry) | D-Severe Effect | A-Excellent |
| Sulfur Hexafluoride | N/A | N/A |
| Sulfur Trioxide | A-Excellent | C-Fair |
| Sulfur Trioxide (dry) | D-Severe Effect | A-Excellent |
| Sulfuric Acid (<10%) | D-Severe Effect | B-Good |
| Sulfuric Acid (10-75%) | D-Severe Effect | D-Severe Effect |
| Sulfuric Acid (75-100%) | C-Fair | D-Severe Effect |
| Sulfuric Acid (cold concentrated) | C-Fair | B-Good |
| Sulfuric Acid (hot concentrated) | D-Severe Effect | C-Fair |
| Sulfurous Acid | B-Good | B-Good |
| Sulfuryl Chloride | N/A | N/A |
| Tallow | A-Excellent | A-Excellent |
| Tannic Acid | B-Good | A-Excellent |
| Tanning Liquors | A-Excellent | A-Excellent |
| Tartaric Acid | C-Fair | C-Fair |
| Tetrachloroethane | B-Good | A-Excellent |
| Tetrachloroethylene | N/A | A-Excellent |
| Tetrahydrofuran | A-Excellent | A-Excellent |
| Tin Salts | N/A | D-Severe Effect |
| Toluene (Toluol) | A-Excellent | A-Excellent |
| Tomato Juice | A-Excellent | A-Excellent |
| Trichloroacetic Acid | D-Severe Effect | C-Fair |
| Trichloroethane | B-Good | B-Good |
| Trichloroethylene | B-Good | B-Good |
| Trichloropropane | A-Excellent | A-Excellent |
| Tricresylphosphate | B-Good | B-Good |
| Triethylamine | A-Excellent | A-Excellent |
| Trisodium Phosphate | B-Good | B-Good |
| Turpentine | A-Excellent | A-Excellent |
| Urea | B-Good | B-Good |
| Uric Acid | B-Good | B-Good |
| Urine | A-Excellent | A-Excellent |
| Varnish | A-Excellent | A-Excellent |
| Vegetable Juice | A-Excellent | A-Excellent |
| Vinegar | A-Excellent | A-Excellent |
| Vinyl Acetate | B-Good | B-Good |
| Vinyl Chloride | B-Good | A-Excellent |
| Water, Acid, Mine | B-Good | B-Good |
| Water, Deionized | A-Excellent | A-Excellent |
| Water, Distilled | A-Excellent | A-Excellent |
| Water, Fresh | A-Excellent | A-Excellent |
| Water, Salt | B-Good | B-Good |
| Weed Killers | A-Excellent | A-Excellent |
| Whey | A-Excellent | A-Excellent |
| Whiskey & Wines | A-Excellent | A-Excellent |
| White Liquor (Pulp Mill) | A-Excellent | A-Excellent |
| White Water (Paper Mill) | A-Excellent | A-Excellent |
| Xylene | B-Good | B-Good |
| Zinc Chloride | B-Good | B-Good |
| Zinc Hydrosulfite | A-Excellent | A-Excellent |
| Zinc Sulfate | B-Good | A-Excellent |
- Warning
- The information in this chart has been supplied to Hayata by other reputable sources and is to be used ONLY as a guide in selecting equipment for appropriate chemical compatibility. Before permanent installation, test the equipment with the chemicals and under the specific conditions of your application.
- Ratings of chemical behavior listed in this chart apply at a 48-hr exposure period.
- Hayata has no knowledge of possible effects beyond this period. Hayata does not warrant (neither express nor implied) that the information in this chart is accurate or complete or that any material is suitable for any purpose.
- Danger
- Variations in chemical behavior during handling due to factors such as temperature, pressure, and concentrations can cause equipment to fail, even though it passed an initial test.
- Serious Injury May Result
- Use suitable guards and/or personal protections when handling chemicals.
